The best once in a lifetime things to do in Los Angeles are the experiences you cannot copy anywhere else, such as a hike to the Hollywood Sign, a sunset over the city from Griffith Observatory, or a coastal drive through Malibu. Pick the sign hike if you want something active. Pick the Getty Center if you want calm and big views. Pick a live TV taping if you want a story to tell at home.
The hard part is not finding ideas. Los Angeles sprawls, traffic can turn a 10-mile trip into an hour, and most lists hand you 25 stops with no sense of cost or timing. This article narrows the choice to eight picks, each with what it costs, how long it takes, and what to book ahead.
We write this as Another Side Of Los Angeles Tours, a local tour company that has guided visitors around the city since 2007. Where a pick matches one of our private tours, you will see our real price. Every other pick comes with planning advice you can use on your own.
1. Hike to the Hollywood Sign with a private guide
The Hollywood Sign hike is the most iconic of the once in a lifetime things to do in Los Angeles, because it lifts you above the city instead of leaving you on a sidewalk looking up. Our Beyond The Billboards hike is a private, two-hour guided walk from the Lake Hollywood Reservoir trail.
Why it earns a place on your list
Few landmarks are as recognizable as the sign, whose letters stand 45 feet tall on Mount Lee. Viewing it from a photo spot is fine. Hiking toward it gives you the panoramic view over Los Angeles that postcards miss, from the downtown towers to the Pacific on a clear day.
The sign looks small from the street and enormous from the trail.
A guide matters more here than you might expect. The trails around Griffith Park split in several directions, and one wrong turn can cost you an hour. With a guide you follow a private route and hear how the sign began in 1923 as an ad for a housing development called Hollywoodland. You cannot walk up to the letters themselves, because the area around them is restricted.
What to know before you go
Wear shoes with grip, bring water, and start early. Summer heat builds fast, and trails can close on days of extreme fire danger, so confirm conditions before you commit.
- Cost: $149 per guest, with a 2 guest minimum. Parties of 3 or more save $20 per guest, so four people pay $129 each, or $516 in total.
- Time needed: about 2 hours.
- Best time: early morning, before the heat and the crowds.
- Good for: active couples, friends, and families with teens who like to walk.
2. Watch the sun set from Griffith Observatory
Griffith Observatory gives you the best free view in Los Angeles, and sunset is the moment to claim it. General admission costs nothing, and the terrace looks out over the Hollywood Sign, downtown, and the ocean on a clear day.
Why it earns a place on your list
Perched on the south slope of Mount Hollywood, the domed building opened in 1935 and has become a film star in its own right, most recently in La La Land. Stay past golden hour and you watch the city shift from haze to a grid of lights that runs to the horizon.
Go for the sunset, then stay for the moment the city lights come on.
Inside, the exhibits cover space and science, and a planetarium show adds a ticketed extra. Looking through the public telescopes is free when they are open, which makes this a memorable stop for kids and adults alike.
What to know before you go
Parking is the main headache, because the small lots fill quickly on clear evenings. Arrive early, take the DASH shuttle, or use a rideshare, and check the observatory’s current hours before you drive up.
- Cost: free general admission. Planetarium shows need a paid ticket.
- Time needed: 2 to 3 hours.
- Best time: about an hour before sunset, on a weekday if you can.
- Good for: couples, families, and travelers on a tight budget.
3. Ride the coast from Santa Monica Pier to Venice
A day on the coast, from Santa Monica Pier down to Venice Beach, is the once in a lifetime thing to do in Los Angeles if you picture sun, palm trees, and people watching. Walk it, rent a bike, or ride a guided tour along the beach path, which covers a few miles between the two.
Why it earns a place on your list
Santa Monica Pier opened in 1909, and today it holds the Pacific Park amusement area and its Ferris wheel. A sign marks it as the end of Route 66, which makes for an easy photo. Head south and the mood changes, with the Venice Boardwalk, Muscle Beach, a busy skate park, street performers, and the quiet Venice Canals a few blocks inland.
Santa Monica is the postcard, and Venice is the show.
You can see all of this on foot, but a bike or a guide covers more ground. We also run guided Segway and electric bike tours along this stretch, which are a fun way to cover the distance without the effort of a regular bike.
What to know before you go
Keep your belongings close in crowded areas, and bring a light jacket, because the ocean air cools quickly after sunset. If you want the coast combined with Hollywood and Beverly Hills, our private full-day tour does exactly that.
- Cost: walking the pier and beach is free, and rides cost extra. Our Ultimate Hollywood & Coastal Tour is $499 per guest, or $399 per guest for parties of 3 or more. Three guests pay $1,197, and two guests pay $998.
- Time needed: 3 to 4 hours on your own, or about 8 hours on the full-day tour.
- Best time: late morning through sunset.
- Good for: first-time visitors, families, and couples with limited time.
4. Drive the Malibu coast and Santa Monica Mountains
Driving the Pacific Coast Highway through Malibu and up into the Santa Monica Mountains is the quiet counterpart to a busy beach day. Our Ultimate Malibu Tour is a five-hour private tour that focuses on the natural landscape rather than celebrity homes and famous beaches.
Why it earns a place on your list
The ocean sits on one side of the road and steep canyons on the other. Malibu has stretches where you can pull over, listen to the surf, and see almost no one. The Santa Monica Mountains are a national recreation area, so the scenery inland is as good as the coast.
Malibu rewards the people who slow down.
Driving yourself works, but the road is winding and the driver sees the least. On a private tour someone else handles the road and the stops, and you handle the views. That is the main reason this is one of the better once in a lifetime things to do in Los Angeles for couples.
What to know before you go
Check current road and trail conditions before you go. After the 2025 wildfires, some areas along the coast and in the mountains may have rebuilding work or restrictions. Dress in layers, since the coast can be cool even on warm days.
- Cost: $349 per guest on our tour, so two guests pay $698. Round-trip transportation is included.
- Time needed: about 5 hours.
- Best time: late morning to golden hour, ideally on a weekday.
- Good for: couples, photographers, and anyone who has already seen the busy beaches.
5. Spend an afternoon at the Getty Center
The Getty Center is worth a half day for the architecture, gardens, and views as much as the art. Admission is free, and you pay only for parking. The hilltop campus in Brentwood looks over the city toward the ocean.
Why it earns a place on your list
The white stone buildings were designed by architect Richard Meier, and a short tram ride carries you up from the parking garage. Inside, the collection includes Van Gogh’s Irises. Outside, the Central Garden by artist Robert Irwin winds down the hillside toward a maze of azaleas.
The Getty is the rare art museum where the view competes with the paintings.
You can visit on your own for the price of parking. Our Exclusive Tour of The Getty Center adds luxury round-trip transportation, light refreshments, and a guide who stays on hand during the visit. It suits guests who want an elegant day with nothing to organize.
What to know before you go
Plan around the tram schedule and the light. The galleries are great on a hot day, and the gardens are best in the late morning or afternoon. Our tour runs Tuesday to Sunday between 10:00am and 3:00pm, and there are no cancellations or refunds within 7 days of your tour date.
- Cost: $499 per guest on our tour, with a 2 guest minimum, so two guests pay $998. Visiting on your own costs a parking fee.
- Time needed: about 5 hours on the tour, or 3 to 4 hours on your own.
- Best time: a weekday, arriving by late morning.
- Good for: art lovers, couples, and visitors who want an easy, unhurried day.
6. Sit in the audience of a live TV taping
Sitting in a live studio audience is one of the few Los Angeles experiences you cannot easily have in another city, and tickets are often free. Most studios sit around Burbank, Studio City, and Hollywood, a short drive from the main tourist areas.
Why it earns a place on your list
You see the cameras, the crew, and the warm-up comic who keeps the room loud. A half-hour show can take hours to record, and you realize how much of television happens off screen. If a talk show or game show is on your must-watch list, this is the best way to see it made.
A taping shows you the part of television that never makes it to air.
Competition for the popular shows is real. Tickets usually appear about 30 days before a taping, and a ticket does not guarantee entry, because studios overbook to fill the seats. Arrive one to two hours early and follow the crew’s instructions.
What to know before you go
Check each show’s rules before you go. Many tapings have an age limit, a dress code, and limits on bags and phones, and security screening is common.
- Cost: usually free, and tickets are booked through the show or a ticketing site.
- Time needed: plan on a half day, including the line.
- Best time: book the day tickets are released, since popular tapings go fast.
- Good for: TV fans, solo travelers, and families with older kids.
7. Step onto a working studio lot
Touring a studio lot is the one Hollywood experience that lets you stand where movies are made. Two options lead the field, Warner Bros. in Burbank and Universal Studios Hollywood, and they suit different kinds of visitors.
Why it earns a place on your list
Warner Bros. is the behind-the-scenes choice, with soundstages, sets, props, and the backlot where scenes from famous shows were shot. The studio has long featured the Central Perk set from Friends, so check which sets are currently on display. Universal combines a tram ride through its backlot with a theme park, including a Springfield from The Simpsons and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Warner Bros. is for the film fan, and Universal is for the whole family.
Smaller options exist too, with tours at studios such as Paramount, but the big two cover most first-time wishes. Choose by how you want to spend the day, not by the name on the gate.
What to know before you go
Book timed tickets in advance, because popular days sell out. Prices vary by date and package, so check the official site for the current figure. Wear comfortable shoes, since a studio tour is mostly walking.
- Cost: varies by studio, date, and ticket type.
- Time needed: a half day at Warner Bros., or a full day at Universal.
- Best time: weekdays outside school holidays.
- Good for: film fans, families, and groups of friends.
8. See Hollywood and Beverly Hills with a VIP touch
A private tour through Hollywood, the Sunset Strip, and Beverly Hills is the best way to see the sights everyone has heard about without the logistics. You can go in a comfortable vehicle or in a stretch Hummer limousine for a celebration.
Why it earns a place on your list
The names are famous for a reason. Hollywood Boulevard has more than 2,500 stars on the Walk of Fame, the forecourt of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre holds celebrity handprints, and Rodeo Drive is a short drive away. On your own, these stops mean parking, crowds, and long walks, and the boulevard is the busiest tourist stretch in the city.
A private guide turns a crowded checklist into a relaxed afternoon.
Our guides handle the route, tell the stories behind each stop, and take you past spots you would likely miss. Keep your belongings secure on busy sidewalks, and use a guide or a ride for parts of the city you do not know.
What to know before you go
Our Ultimate Hollywood Tour and the LA Hummer VIP Limo Tour both run about four hours, but they price differently. The comparison below shows how.
| Option | Price | Group size | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Ultimate Hollywood Tour | $299 per guest, or $274 for 3 or more | 2 guests minimum | Hollywood Sign views, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, Rodeo Drive, round-trip transportation within 10 miles of our office |
| The LA Hummer VIP Limo Tour | $2,198 total | Up to 8 guests | Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Sunset Strip, round-trip transportation |
The numbers work out like this. Two guests on the Ultimate Hollywood Tour pay $598. Six guests pay $1,644. Eight guests pay $2,192, which is almost identical to the $2,198 Hummer, or $274.75 per guest. For a full group, the limo costs little more.
- Cost: see the table above.
- Time needed: about 4 hours.
- Best time: daytime for sightseeing, or later for the Sunset Strip.
- Good for: birthdays, bachelor and bachelorette parties, anniversaries, and first-time visitors.
Pick your first, then book it
The best once in a lifetime things to do in Los Angeles mix free views like Griffith Observatory and the Getty Center with experiences worth planning ahead for, such as the Hollywood Sign hike, a live taping, and a studio tour. Choose two or three that match your pace and your group, then fit the rest around them.
Book the popular ones early, check conditions for hikes and the coast, and leave time between stops for traffic. If you would rather have a local handle the route and the stories, you can browse our private Los Angeles tours and pick the one that fits your trip.
